Preparing for Worship - October 1, 2023

In the Psalm for the day, Psalm 25, David speaks of his “trust” in the Lord, as the “God of his salvation.” At the same time, He asks the Lord to remember His mercy and goodness and not remember the sins of David’s youth and his transgressions. Several times David speaks of the need to be taught the Lord’s truth and to be led in His ways and to wait humbly for the Lord and His steadfast love.

The Old Testament lesson is from Ezekiel 18:1-4 and 25-32. Ezekiel reports God’s command no longer to use the proverb, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” We cannot blame our parents or others for what we individually do. “All souls are the Lord’s,” and “it is the soul who sins who shall die.” God’s ways are “just,” but our ways are often not. We are called to “repent and turn away from our transgressions,” with “a new heart and a new spirit.” (Both Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:25-27 tell us that God gives us that “cleansing” and “a new heart and spirit.”)

The Gospel lesson is Matthew 21:23-27 (28-32). Jesus had chased out the money changers and sellers from the temple and the next day was teaching in the temple. The chief priests and elders came and asked Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus challenges them with His own question about from where the baptism of John the Baptist came - “from heaven or from man?” The elders realize they are in trouble no matter which way they answer, and so they say nothing. Jesus does not answer them either. He knows that their judgment was already against Him, and that He would be crucified in a few days (Matthew 26:2). Jesus then tells a parable about two sons. The one who who did the will of his father did the right thing, though he was a rebel at first. In the same way, the religious leaders are the continuing rebels, for they will not believe in the message of John or the One for Whom he was preparing the way - Jesus Himself.

The Epistle lesson continues readings from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Chapter 2: 1-4 (5-13) 14-18. Paul calls upon the Philippians to be like-minded, with the mind of Christ, following the humility and love and service by which Jesus came into this world and even gave His life for us on the cross. We bow our knees before Jesus and confess that He is Lord and try to follow in the way of salvation. Paul reminds us, though, that it only God at work in us who enables us to “will and to work for His good pleasure.” Through Him we are considered “without blemish” and are “lights” in the midst of a “crooked and twisted generation,” as we “hold fast to the Word of Life,” in Christ.